Identification of extracellular matrix-related biomarkers in colon adenocarcinoma by bioinformatics and experimental...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Genomics

Background:

• The extracellular matrix (ECM) is crucial in the tumor microenvironment.
• Abnormal ECM expression drives tumor formation, progression, and metastasis.

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify extracellular matrix (ECM)-related hub genes in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD).
• Investigate the role of potential biomarkers in COAD cell proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).
• Develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for COAD.

Main Methods:

• Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) COAD data.
• Verification of biomarker expression in COAD clinical samples using immunohistochemistry.
• siRNA-mediated knockdown to assess gene function in cell proliferation and EMT.
• Molecular docking and transplanted tumor models to evaluate dictamnine's effect.

Main Results:

• Identified three prognostic biomarkers (LEP, NGF, PCOLCE2) for COAD patients.
• Confirmed high expression of LEP, NGF, and PCOLCE2 in COAD tumor tissues.
• Knockdown of these biomarkers inhibited COAD cell proliferation and EMT.
• Dictamnine demonstrated tumor-inhibitory effects by interacting with these biomarkers.

Conclusions:

• LEP, NGF, and PCOLCE2 serve as potential biomarkers for COAD prognosis.
• These biomarkers offer new avenues for COAD diagnosis and targeted therapy.
• Targeting these ECM-related genes presents a promising strategy for COAD treatment.